"Karman, are you serious? Maybe you're just dreaming after waking up," Elder Hartono said worriedly.
"Master, I'm not sure, but I think that white tiger..."
"Karman, I have something to tell you," Elder Hartono interrupted. "But before that, I want to ask you. How long do you hold the golden body?"
"I'm not sure, because I've never used it as much as I could."
"Do it. I will evaluate your understanding of your technique."
My eyes and hair turned golden yellow. For a moment, Elder Hartono looked a little upset, but he didn't cry.
I held this position for a full three minutes. It seems like it was just a short time. But that short time made Elder Hartono speechless.
"Everything is clear now," Elder Hartono said while looking at the sky. "People who use the Golden Body technique will always be tested by the sky. And... Even though the world is ending and the sky is falling. I will make sure that you stand tall." Elder Hartono added with a smile. A smile that's not natural, a smile that shows worry and hidden secrets.
Our conversation ended in an awkward way. Then Elder Hartono taught me at the training ground. I will learn the advanced techniques that I have mastered.
"You've only mastered the first stage. But for a newbie using the technique, you're the longest."
I was surprised when he said that a short time was the longest. "How long can you use this technique?"
"Hm... Good question. If you ask a previous user or me, the longest time is thirty seconds. But with your current level, I can kill you in five seconds."
I activated Golden Body and punched. I hit Elder Hartono's palm with my fist.
Crack!
My wrist broke. The golden light flickered off immediately. I fell back, holding my hand.
"You spread yourself too thin. Focus it where you need it. Use your right arm to punch. The left leg is used to kick. Not everywhere at once."
He hit me with his fishing rod.
"Again."
He made me practice for six hours straight. Activate Golden Body on my right arm. Now the left arm. Now legs. Now chest. Every time I failed, he hit me. By sunset, my body was covered in welts. I could barely walk.
"Now you learn to use it while fighting."
Elder Hartono attacked without warning. I barely blocked with Golden Body on my arms.
Wham!
I flew back and hit the ground hard.
"Too slow."
He kept attacking. I had to make quick decisions every time. Should you block or dodge? Where do I activate the Golden Body feature? My face got bloodied. My ribs got bruised. But I got better at changing my technique over time.
"Keep fighting until you're exhausted or make a breakthrough."
Elder Hartono activated three training constructs. They moved quickly and hit hard. I used everything I had learned to fight them. Golden Body kept changing positions as I blocked, dodged, and attacked.
After twenty minutes, I was tired.
After an hour, I could barely keep Golden Body active for more than a second.
But I kept going. Then something changed. The golden light suddenly focused on my fist as I punched.
Boom!
The middle part of the structure collapsed.
I fell on my knees, completely exhausted. Elder Hartono smiled.
"Good. You reached Focused Manifestation."
The training continued until it got dark.
---
Meanwhile, in the dark streets of the suburbs. Two people are standing and sharing information.
"So, this time you failed." The man in the mask said.
"You don't just talk. I have pierced him and let him be eaten by a beast." The man in the blue uniform said.
"But what is this?! You can't be trusted."
The man dressed in azure cloud smiled instead. "Why don't you just try it yourself?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I mean, let's prove it. After all, he was just a new disciple."
"Okay, after I kill him, you're next."
"Whatever."
---
After two days of non-stop training, my body was so sore that I couldn't move. I needed to find a restroom. When I had found the right place, suddenly a throwing knife pierced through my chest. Damn!
---
[From the perspective of the masked man]
"Bagong says he should be around here," I said while waiting for three hours and hiding in a tree.
Tap tap tap.
"That's the person! How careless is a person who is said to be a genius?" I thought to myself as I got ready to set up an ambush.
Stab!
I stabbed him in the chest with a throwing knife. "Too easy..." I said as I moved back to the base. However,
Bruk!
---
[Karman's point of view.]
The dead assassin lay at my feet. I looked at the direction the knife came from. Someone was running away.
I chased after it. My legs burned with Golden Body as I closed the distance fast. The figure looked back at me, its eyes wide with surprise.
I grabbed her right hand and pulled it until it broke.
"Wait! I can explain!"
I didn't care. I flipped the person over and activated Golden Body in my fist.
Bam!
I punched the face. The mask cracked.
Bam!
Another punch. Blood sprayed.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
I kept hitting it until the face was unrecognizable. Teeth were scattered on the ground. The skull made a cracking sound. My knuckles were covered in blood.
As I walked away, I noticed my hands weren't shaking. Killing or severely injuring people didn't bother me at all.